rubykittyruby

  We've had a lot of drizzly, chilly days lately, which has been rubbish for getting the washing dry but good for staying in and getting on with crafty things.  Mainly printing, it's got to be said.  I joined Facebook a while ago, only to get access to useful posts on my slimming group's page.  But I've since discovered a few craft groups that look interesting.  I've just joined one for swapping ATCs - artist trading cards.  Not that I consider myself an artist, but I like splashing around the acrylic and messing about with stencils and my Gelli Arts plate.  So, I've been trying to make ATCs that're good enough to swap.  The only rule is that they're 3 and a half inches x 2 and a half.  I've cut rectangles from thin cardstock and tried to come up with ideas.  I like these red and pink ones, but they need something extra.  A focal point on each card, and I don't know what to include yet.  Maybe some text?   The Faceboo...

Sometimes you mooch around a charity shop and find nothing of interest.  Just the usual racks of cast-off Primark and Tesco brand clothing, endless DVDs of films you'd never want to watch, plus books ghost written on behalf of celebrities you've never heard of.  Then again, sometimes you strike lucky.   Today's rummage was very productive.  I found this battered but still handsome vintage confectionery tin.  Apparently the Squirrel Confectionery Company are a Stockport based business, and the picture on the tin's lid is a reproduction from Sir Edwin Landseer's painting 'A Piper and a Pair of Nutcrackers'.  The tin was a mere £2.99.  I spent another 99p on this handy basket in turquoise and pink.  Always useful to have a basket for storing reels of thread or any number of odds & ends.   I also paid 99p for a pack of  'Thank You' stationery, complete with pink envelopes.  I like the seventies feel to the floral design on...

I haven't posted for a while, and can't give you any good reason for that.  Day to day life gets in the way sometimes. Odd jobs and irritating tasks need doing, and sometimes have to take precedent over taking pictures and wittering away on Blogger.   Well, we managed to miss the worst of Storm Babet in this part of Yorkshire.  The rain fell continuously for an entire day, and I discovered there was a tiny gap at the top of the sliding glass doors leading to the conservatory, and through that tiny gap rain dripped down for hours!  I can't complain though, can I?  I mean, all I needed to do was deal with several sheets of soggy newspaper and a few damp cloths.  Nothing compared to the poor people whose houses have flooded.  I can't imagine how awful that'd be.   Today's foggy.  It's nearly lunchtime and it's not fully lifted.  I've been indoors this morning, happily splashing acrylic paint around and producing yet more prints us...

  Can you believe it's halfway through the month already?  The days have certainly got colder, and my woolly jumpers are emerging from the wardrobe, along with gloves and a pink cashmere and silk pashmina picked up for about three quid in a charity shop.  One of my better finds.  I've got a few things to blog about today, so I'll crack on.  As it's Wednesday I'll review a craft book.  This time it's Maria Shell's 'Improv Patchwork.'  As you can see from the cover, it's subtitled 'Dynamic Quilts made with Line & Shape', and that's pretty much what the book showcases.   It's full of colour photographs, and if you're a fan of modern improv quilts, and stripes in particular, it's the book for you.  It's a comprehensive book, going into a good amount of detail, as can be seen from the contents pages above.  There are some craft books that're ideal for browsing.  Flicking through, looking longingly at glossy photogra...